as in excellent
of the very best kind
a first-string rendition of the musical piece
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Recent Examples of first-string
Perkins has worked with the second-team defense and saw a snap with the first-string unit as well, aligning over the center’s right shoulder in a pass-rushing look.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
With Hollins and Boutte absent and Brown still on the Eagles, Doubs, Williams, Chism and Douglas received most of the first-string work at wide receiver.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
Tustin’s first-string defense was just as overwhelming, holding the Vanguards to negative-16 yards in the first half while the offense built a 48-0 lead.
—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Most importantly, many defensive special-teams rushers are first-string players, whereas the blockers tend to be second- and third-string players.
—
J.j. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
On a rest day for Bo Nix and much of the Broncos’ first-string crew, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and a few key depth pieces, led the Broncos to a 27-7 beatdown of the Cardinals at Empower Field on Saturday night.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
That is an obvious but nevertheless tempting play with Burrow and the first-string offense in action.
—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
With Hollins and Boutte absent and Brown still on the Eagles, Doubs, Williams, Chism and Douglas received most of the first-string work at wide receiver.
—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
Tustin’s first-string defense was just as overwhelming, holding the Vanguards to negative-16 yards in the first half while the offense built a 48-0 lead.
—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
18 Oct. 2025
Most importantly, many defensive special-teams rushers are first-string players, whereas the blockers tend to be second- and third-string players.
—
J.j. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
On a rest day for Bo Nix and much of the Broncos’ first-string crew, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and a few key depth pieces, led the Broncos to a 27-7 beatdown of the Cardinals at Empower Field on Saturday night.
—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
That is an obvious but nevertheless tempting play with Burrow and the first-string offense in action.
—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first-string
Adjective
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And with such excellent transit, there can be much greater housing density.
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His group stage has been consistently excellent without announcing itself — the kind of contribution that shows up in the table rather than the highlights.
Adjective
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For its fruit, of course, with its prime role in snacks like cocos preparados or in rich guisados and seafood dishes that are known along the whole Pacific coast.
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The positioning for the kick would have been prime for a goal, but Yoel Bárcenas' hit was deflected by a header from Croatia's Joško Gvardiol at the wall.
Adjective
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But even when Thomson, a terrific baseball lifer, was gone, Bryce Harper was still there in Philly and so was Kyle Schwarber.
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Klepov, who turns 18 on Saturday, had a terrific first OHL season, with 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 games to win the league’s scoring title.
Adjective
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Morris, 24, is coming off a stellar start with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators last Wednesday, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing only four hits.
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For stellar-mass black holes, however, the process would take around 10⁶⁷ years—trillions upon trillions of times longer than the current age of the universe.
Adjective
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After multiple close calls, Ivory Coast tied the match in the 74th minute with a superb run by Amad Diallo.
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These popular plants are superb, long-lasting garden ornaments.
Adjective
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Sneakers are always calling my name (a great travel companion).
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Having spent more than 30 years in the makeup industry, founder and makeup artist Jung Saem Mool knows great makeup starts long before foundation enters the picture.
Adjective
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The animals, the cool weather and the wonderful people of this region made for a memorable trip.
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Bat boxes are a wonderful addition to your yard for attracting bats and giving them a safe place to live.
Adjective
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My friend has been in a long-term, live-in relationship with a lovely man.
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Lake Vostok is said to be one of the loveliest places in Antarctica.
Cite this Entry
“First-string.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first-string. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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